Woods once made O’Meara pay by shooting a 59

Granted, it was in a 1997 match with his good friend and fellow pro Mark O'Meara at Isleworth in Florida.

But a lot was riding on it.

“He lost a boatload,” Woods said after flirting with 59 before finishing off a 61 on Friday in the second round of the Bridgestone Invitational.

But that wasn’t even the worst of it for O'Meara, the 1998 Masters and British Open winner.

“The very next day an even better story is that we played nine holes and I was 5 under through nine holes, then I parred 10 and made a hole in one at 11,” Woods said to loud laughter. “He just drove his cart home.”

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BEST OF SHOW: Woods said he’s had lots of better rounds than the 61 that left him with a seven-stroke lead through 36 holes.

He mentioned all four rounds at the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and three more during the 1997 Masters.

“That’s seven right there,” he said.

But even he conceded he was in a prime position to break 60. He needed to play the final five holes in 2 under to become only the sixth player to shoot 59 in a PGA Tour event.

“Would it have been nice to shoot 59? Yeah, it would have been nice,” Woods said. “I certainly had the opportunity.”

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COMING BACK: The sting of defeat lasts. But sooner or later, even elite athletes have to let go.

A year ago at the Bridgestone Invitational, Jim Furyk shot a 7-under 63 in the opening round, then led by two shot after 36 holes and a stroke through three rounds.